White Sox break five-game losing streak

Tuesday

Jun 26, 2007 at 12:01 AMJun 26, 2007 at 3:53 AM

White Sox beat Devil Rays 5-4.

Nathaniel Whalen

It was just like the clinching win of the 2005 World Series all over again.
Pitcher Mark Buehrle took off his hat and pumped his fists in the air.
Catcher A.J. Pierzynski jumped up and down on the mound.
Manager Ozzie Guillen offered reporters champagne after the game.
There was a time when an ugly 5-4 win over the Tampa Bay Devils wouldn’t have gotten a response anywhere close to that — even if it was jokingly — but those times are gone for the 2007 White Sox.
“It obviously wasn’t pretty, but we’ll take a win any way we can get one,” starter John Danks said Monday night. “I don’t care how we do it as long as we get a win.”
The victory in front of 10,514 fans at Tropicana Field broke a five-game Sox losing streak and was just the team’s sixth win in its last 28 games, so excuse the Sox if they celebrate a little.
“Just happy to get the win. Everybody contributed,” Andy Gonzalez said.
Just two months ago the idea that Andy Gonzalez would be in the big leagues seemed comical, yet Gonzalez became the first Sox hitter this season to amass four hits in a game.
“I would never guess Andy Gonzalez would be playing right field for me every day,” Guillen said.
There were a lot of surprises Monday night.
For example, 12 hits and five runs by the Sox.
And four scoreless innings by the bullpen — yes, the White Sox bullpen.
There also was a season-high 15 strikeouts by Sox batters, bringing their total to 45 in the last four games.
“If we play here more often, there are going to be a lot of fat people eating pizza for free,” Guillen said, referring to a Devil Rays promotion good for a free pizza each time an opponent strikes out 10 times.
Tampa Bay struck first, scoring in each of the first two innings.
But after Josh Fields’ bases-loaded walk forced in a run in the third, something strange happened in the fourth — the Sox took the lead.
An RBI double by Gonzalez and a run-scoring single by Jim Thome gave the Sox their first lead in a game since the seventh inning Wednesday against the Florida Marlins.
The lead was gone quickly, though, when Jonny Gomes led off the fourth with a homer and Josh Wilson hit a sacrifice fly, putting Tampa Bay up 4-3.
Danks (4-6) earned the win, thanks to RBI singles by Gonzalez and Paul Konerko off Casey Fossum (5-7) in the sixth.
The rookie left-hander, however, continues to struggle.
“I definitely didn’t feel like I had as good of stuff as I’ve had, but I felt like I was able to make decent pitches when I needed to,” said Danks, who allowed four hits, four runs and walked four in five innings — the sixth straight start in which he has failed to pitch into the seventh inning.
“He pitched a little bit better today,” Guillen said. “But I want him to attack the strike zone a little more.”
As if Gonzalez’s hits weren’t enough, the surprises continued when a reliever came in with the lead in the sixth and left with the Sox still leading.
Nick Masset's scoreless inning was the first hold by a Sox reliever since June 2.
Then came perfect innings by Matt Thornton, Ryan Bukvich and Bobby Jenks (19th save).
“That’s what we’ve been looking for all season, and I think we have the people to do it,” Guillen said. “With the way the guys are capable of throwing the ball, I don’t see why they can’t do that every day.”
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